21 places in the US where it's legal to drink outside

Austin, Texas, allows for open-air drinking in its less central neighborhoods.Flickr/Juan Gonzales
Some might say that open-air drinking is the peak of civilization.

In fact, many cultures are built on drinking outdoors — Italians drink on church steps, the French like to picnic in the park with bouteilles of wine, and Germans enjoy a good road beer on their way to... well, anywhere.

Most of America is missing out on this prime social activity with its pesky container laws, but we were able to find 21 places in the US where it is, in fact, legal to drink outside.

Memphis, Tennessee: Beale Street, aka the home of the blues, is a shining beacon liberated from both the rest of the city's open-container ban and Tennessee's statewide one.

Indianapolis, Indiana: Hoosier hospitality means that you can drink on Indy's sidewalks, though not in city-owned parks. Make sure to ask for a to-go cup if you don't finish your drink at the bar, they just might have a carryout license.

Sonoma, California: With over 400 wineries, it's really in the wine country's best interest to allow public drinking. Wouldn't want to cheapen fancy wine with brown bags, would we?

Hood River, Oregon: World famous for its wind and kite surfing, this is truly an outdoor paradise, as the town has no open container laws.

Huntsville, Alabama: Huntsville has not one but two arts and entertainment districts that specialize in to-go cups of alcohol — and this only around a decade after legalizing Sunday wine and beer sales.

New Orleans, Louisiana: Home of Mardi Gras and daiquiri drive-thrus. Obviously, open containers are not an issue here.

Erie, Pennsylvania: In order to revitalize their downtown area, Erie has ditched open-container laws in favor of tourism dollars. And since its downtown spans 70 blocks, drinking is allowed almost everywhere.

Austin, Texas: Texas' weirdest town forbids open containers in its downtown and a few other select areas, but allows them in the town's less central neighborhoods.

Fredericksburg, Texas: It's only fitting for this German enclave, named after Prince Frederick of Prussia, to preserve its German heritage by allowing open containers of beer or wine (not liquor) in most of its public areas. In fact, many places in town sell wine and beer to-go.

iStock/Dean_Fikar

12/

Mississippi: While we don't recommend it, Mississippi is the only state that allows for drinking and driving. However, the driver must stay below the 0.08% blood-alcohol-content limit to avoid a DUI.

Butte, Montana: This former mining town in the Rocky Mountains allows for open containers anywhere — the only exception being between the hours of 2 a.m. and 8 a.m. What you do during the other 18 hours is up to you.

Flickr Creative Commons

14/

Treasure Island, Florida: This little patch of paradise on the Gulf of Mexico pretty much allows for public drinking anywhere — the exceptions being the main beach on weekends and public holidays.

Roswell, Georgia: This Atlanta 'burb now has a brand new "carry district," which basically means that you can order a drink at a bar and bring it outside with you (as long as it's in paper or plastic cups and less than 16 ounces.) Mainly contained in Roswell's Canton Street district, it's ideal for the town's famous block party, Alive After Five.

Kansas City, Missouri: The town's nine-block Power & Light District, a shopping and entertainment district, is exempt from Kansas City's general law prohibiting open containers.

iStock/tomofbluesprings

17/

Louisville, Kentucky: Another revitalization effort leading to the loosening of liquor laws can be found on Louisville's Fourth Street, which gets closed off at night and turns into Fourth Street Live!, sort of an open-air bar (you'll get carded) that allows for outdoor imbibing.

Montgomery, Alabama: Entertainment districts meant for public drinking seem to be a trend in Alabama, but Montgomery led the charge, creating one around the hip The Alley development (which now stretches down to the riverfront) even before the open-container law was overturned. That said, it recently shortened the booze-fueled hours to between 9 a.m. and midnight.

Shutterstock

19/

Birmingham, Alabama: Birmingham recently passed a law that allows people to bring their drinks around with them as they stroll between the Uptown District, the Sheraton, and the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex. They plan on clearly demarcating the areas that allow for drinking and those that do not.

Mobile, Alabama: Grabbing one for the road is also a new development in Mobile, which, while generally lax about open containers previously, specifically created entertainment districts allowing the sale of to-go booze.

Las Vegas, Nevada: Seeing as what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, it's only natural that it would encourage debauchery by allowing people to imbibe anywhere. The only exceptions to public drinking are within 1,000 feet of a church, synagogue, school, hospital, or homeless shelter.